SI

Mariners Shortstop Turned Diving Stop Into Out Using Savannah Bananas-Esque Play

The Bananas would be proud of this play.

Tim Capurso

The Mariners made a web gem play in the ninth inning of Tuesday's victory.
The Mariners made a web gem play in the ninth inning of Tuesday's victory. / Screengrab Twitter @Mariners
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The Savannah Bananas are coming to T-Mobile Park in Seattle this weekend, but the Mariners gave any fans watching their road win over the Royals a preview of what's to come with one magnificent play in the ninth inning of the 12-5 triumph over Kansas City.

On the second pitch of the inning, Mariners righthander Emerson Hancock got Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia to ground a ball up the middle, where shortstop J.P. Crawford made a diving stop. But, in a nifty trick play straight out of the Bananas playbook, Crawford, rather than jump to his feet and make the throw to first, decided to flip the ball to second baseman Jorge Polanco.

Polanco then made the throw to get Garcia at first.

Check out the incredible play.

Call it 6-4-3 without the double play.

Everything the Mariners have touched lately has turned to gold. Not only did star catcher Cal Raleigh belt his 55th and 56th home runs of the season to break Mickey Mantle's record for the most long balls in a single season by a switch-hitter—and tie Ken Griffey Jr. for the most in a single season by a Mariner—but Seattle also won its 10th game in a row to maintain its 0.5-game lead over the Astros in the American League West.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in November 2023, he wrote for RotoBaller and ClutchPoints, where he was the lead editor for MLB, college football and NFL coverage. A lifelong Yankees and Giants fan, Capurso grew up just outside New York City and now lives near Philadelphia. When he's not writing, he enjoys reading, exercising and spending time with his family, including his three-legged cat Willow, who, unfortunately, is an Eagles fan.

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